At least 15 wounded by Algeria suicide bombMarch 3, 2012 - 14:54 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - At least 15 people were wounded on Saturday, March 3, when a suicide bomber drove a four-wheel drive vehicle packed with explosives at a paramilitary police base in a Sahara desert town, local media and security officials said, Reuters reported. The attack was at a gendarme headquarters in the centre of Tamanrasset, an oasis about 2,000 km (1,240 miles) south of the Algerian capital, and near the border with Mali and Niger.A Toyota jeep exploded after it was driven at the perimeter wall of the gendarme base at 7:48 a.m., according to the online edition of Algeria's Ennahar newspaper. The 15 people injured in the blast included gendarmes and civilians, some of whom were on a bus which was driving past at the moment of the explosion, the newspaper said. Security officials confirmed to Reuters the newspaper's account of the attack. It was not immediately clear exactly how many people had died or who was responsible. Al Qaeda's North African wing, al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, has been carrying out an insurgency in Algeria. It frequently targets security forces. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Armenia Security Council chief traveling to Qatar Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen Grigoryan will travel on a working visit to Qatar. Armenian Foreign Minister regrets “tragic loss” of Iranian counterpart The Armenian Foreign Ministry has expressed shock over the death of the Iranian President and the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Armenian PM sends condolences to Iran Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan sent a message of condolence to the Supreme Leader Seyyed Ali Khamenei. Armenia, Turkey discuss restoration of historic bridge The meeting took place on May 17 in Ashgabat on the sidelines of an international conference of ministers of culture. |